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Lupita Nyong'o makes debut as hip-hop versifier

Lupita Nyong'o, hip-hop star Actor-filmmaker Lupita Nyong'o, who has a remarkable turn as the title hero in Disney's inspirational true-life story The Queen of Katwe, made her debut last weekend as a hip-hop singer.

Lupita Nyong'o, hip-hop star

Actor-filmmaker Lupita Nyong'o, who has a remarkable turn as the title hero in Disney's inspirational true-life story The Queen of Katwe, made her debut last weekend as a hip-hop singer.

The Hampshire College and Yale Drama School alum, who was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents, dropped a few verses in an Instagram post.

"Mexican born, Kenya running through my veins. Dark chocolate, plus I keep a sharp mane," sang Nyong'o, who won an Oscar for her performance in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave.

Nyong'o, 33, who has three million followers on the social-media site, does her hip-hop thing under the stage name Troublemaker. Her words were delivered over a beat borrowed from "N.Y. State of Mind," a classic number from Nas. "Lancôme fresh-faced, looking tailor-made. Disney on the books, so you know I stay paid. Next stop Katwe, rocking out with David [Oyelowo]. Don't do critics - if you're hating, please save it," she continued versifying about Katwe, which costars Oyelowo of Selma fame.

Directed by Mira Nair, Katwe is about the emergence of an internationally recognized teenage chess prodigy who grew up in abject poverty in Uganda.

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tirdad@phillynews.com

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